We need a resolution

I’ve heard that 80 percent of people give up their New Year’s resolutions within a few months. Seriously? I know it’s easy to fall back into bad habits, but I suspect someone in marketing invented that statistic. They make us feel bad about ourselves so they can sell us things we don’t want or need. I know plenty of women who set and achieve their goals.
A still shot of singer Aaliyah from the We Need a Resolution video. I love the song and the makeup in this video (check the blue on the lower lashline). I miss her and wonder what her New Year’s resolutions would have been if she were still alive.

When you think about it — big goals are really just little goals stitched together. You can say that you want to learn how to do an uber-hot smokey eye this year, but it ain’t gonna happen if all you do is buy a pot of black eye shadow and use your pinky finger and some spit. You’ve got to figure out where to apply the color, what brushes to use, how to use those brushes, how to blend the colors without overblending … you get the picture. You have to put the time and effort into the little steps.

So, this year, even though I’m going to focus on the end game, I also plan to devote 110% to all the small goals along the way, ’cause a bunch of well executed little goals result in a big goal achieved in the end.

I’ve also felt a real urgency to make things happen, moreso than I did when I was younger. I don’t just want to pass through this life without making my mark, ya know?

Anyway, have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions? Here are mine:

1. To work on my fitness.

In 2005 I started lifting weights and watching what I ate. Initially, all I wanted to do was lose weight for my wedding, but weight lifting and eating right changed my life forever. It wasn’t just a matter of dropping a few dress sizes. As I started building muscle and getting stronger, I stood taller, felt tougher, and gained more confidence in myself. It’s weird, but the day I was finally able to bench press my body weight on the Smith Machine, I felt truly beautiful.

Unfortunately, my schedule’s been crazy lately, and I haven’t been disciplined about lifting weights or eating well. I’m looking forward to getting back into fighting shape again. Yes, it’ll be nice to fit into my skinny jeans again, but what I really miss is how both my body and my mind felt balanced when I was taking better care of myself.

Oh, and if one of your goals is to get into shape this year, let me know! I would love to be your cheerleader. It always helps to have a friend remind you that you *can* do this!

2. To get to appointments early.

There are things I know I do well, like sarcasm, leg waxing and detecting B.S. from a mile away. There are also many things I know I don’t do well, like estimating travel time. I can never seem to get where I need to be on time! I used to believe that a gypsy cursed me to be at least 15 minutes late for anything, but deep down inside I know it’s because I don’t manage my time efficiently. Face it, Karen, it takes more than five minutes to do a complicated smokey eye.

So, this year I’m going to make the effort to get to my appointments 15 minutes early. Granted, for most people, showing up early is not as hard as running a marathon or becoming an astronaut, but for your girl it will be.

3. To learn a few new things.

On my list so far: how to play acoustic guitar, learning a martial art and digital photography.

4. To not let what haters think/say/do bother me.

I’ve always admired people who can just let all the bad stuff roll off them like water off a duck’s back. I know learning how to “just let it go” will take some time, but one thing I’ve started doing lately is asking myself, “Will this same thing bother me in one year?” It helps to put things in perspective.

I can feel you with the fitness-thing… when my husband was deployed, I was great about eating healthy and working out regularly. I lost about 15 pounds during his 6-month deployment. Since he’s gotten back, I’ve gotten back into the kitchen and cooking way too much for the 2 of us. Weight is creeping back on both of us and I look forward to exploring new recipes in 08 that are just as tasty but a lot healthier. I hope to lose another 10 or so before we start trying for baby #2. That’s a great motivator for me.

Sighh…me too *puts on lime cycling shorts* I need to do some exercise and eat better! I actually have a free gym where I live but I don’t know what it looks like! I think I will take baby steps, then I’m more likely to be consistent about it…

I agree with you too about the writing & also in terms of not letting haters get to me.

What else? I am going to work hard to achieve my goals this year! Thats the main thing. And stop buying so much maquillage….

I started reading your blog about 2 months ago and I’m addicted! I could use a cheerleader with getting back into shape. I’m about at my wits end! Any tips/tricks/motivators would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work and have a wonderful new year!

1. Start using that elliptical that I paid 2 grand for, not to mention the TV & DVD player that sit in front of it. The elliptical is now 1.5 years old (TV & DVD were purchased just a couple months ago) and an average use of 1-2 times a month is just beyond shameful! My plan is to watch two DVD episodes of Sex & The City while running on it at least three times a week.

2. Upgrade my 35mm Nikon SLR to a digital SLR and start taking more pictures. Photography is a fun creative outlet and I don’t do enough of it until we’re on vacation. The hubby and I take a two week vacation abroad every-other autumn and 2008 is our next one. I think we’ve decided on Argentina. Anyway, I want to have taken oodles of pictures on my new cam and be all comfortable and ready to take some beauties on vacation.

3. I sit at a desk at work, so when lunch rolls around, I want to be out of the office. My resolution this year is to resist the urge to go out for bad food at lunch and/or go across the street to the mall and shop. 2007 saw way too many trips to the MAC counter and Coach store… instead, I’m going to bring food from home, eat soup, or a Lean Cuisine type meal and read a book. My rule will be 1 evil Starbuck’s coffee OR 1 lunch out per work week! So basically, if I can be good all week for lunches Friday morning will be a delicious coffee reward. 😉

call me too old…but I don’t make any so called New Year resolution any more.
I used to lift weights for over three years,my personal trainer B.A.(Betty Ann) has moved (to another city)and I have moved out of the gym(schedule).And I had fun.I was rocking!Leg press at my own weight 125lb. I was easily to press 375lb. big time!
Every time I wanted to loss some weight I failed.No more resolutions
I go with the flow.Just by walking every day within 2 month I have lost about 15 lb.I eat fish 3x a week and wallnuts -every second day(good for your heart),I drink dry white wine and water…
Since I have never smoked I don’t have make any New Year’s and Old Year’s and any other year’s resolutions.
I just don’t.I really try to treat people nice (although they are not always pay forward),not to act like a wicked witch of the Shire ,and stay…positive which not always works out,but…I don’t give up.

And with this optimistic accent I wish everybody the best!
The best!!!

I’d love to be your cheerleader. Seriously, just leave me a comment when you need some encouragement (or tough love, I do both really well, LOL) and we can get each other through the tough times (my hardest moments are when I get fudge slice cake cravings, oy!).

I think the biggest things were viewing the whole process as a life style change AND meticulous planning. I don’t eat the same way I used to when I was in college, when I really didn’t have any concept of portion size or what low fat eating was. Learning how to eat nutritiously was a huge factor in my weight loss equation. I wrote everything I ate down in a notebook, and tracked how many calories in and how many out. Seeing the numbers (and coming clean on days when I ate a bit more) really helped me get a concept of my progress.

Another thing I did was to plan my workouts the same way I planned business meetings. If running/biking/lifting was on the schedule at a certain time, I *had to make it happen* even if I didn’t feel like it.

If you don’t read ’em already, pick up some fitness mags. It’s January so all of them will all be full of fitness plans for the new year. I really like Women’s Fitness. The writing is sharp and everything in there is useful.

The Sex & the City DVDs are a trick that I use to get on my exercise bike. It *totally* works EVERY TIME!

What digital SLR are you thinking of? I’m a Canon girl, myself 😉 I got a lovely book for Christmas about using the Rebel XTI from El Hub and I can’t wait to read it and really understand the features of my camera. I’ve been sort of thrown into the fire when it comes to photography for this blog so it’s been a real learning experience, but I’d like to feel more comfortable with event stuff in the future.

I hear ya on those tempting lunch time trips. When I worked in downtown SF I went to Union Square waaaay too much. The book and lunch sound like a great idea. Or how about walks when the weather gets nice?

Anyway, I hope you had a fantastic New Years and a successful and happy 2008!

You have some great resolutions. I hear ya about the being a workaholic. *Sigh,* I am the same way too. But you know, I give you props for being able to say that you’ve got that in you, cause not everyone does.

AROUND THE WEB

Unsung Heroes!

Have you ever partied with Tabs?

You know what time it is. :) It's time to party with Tabs! -- the world's foremost international playboy tabby (and my feline employer). Kitty model, superstar, dreamer and all around lovable diva extraordinaire. See what he's been loving lately on his blog, partywithtabs.com, or follow his missives and adventures on Twitter.